Shades of Dreams
by Farewell
Summary: Elrond's twin sons, in a cave... elladan's sad. yeah. not slash. pretty much a PWP. just one of those nice fluffy things.


A/N: not slash, not twincest. (sorry) Nice sweet *brotherly* interaction one night. the twins are Elrond's sons. They are on a hunt for all orcs, as the orcs tormented their mother to the point of madness. She left for the West years ago, because, in spite of her loving family, she could 'no longer find anything of beauty in Middle Earth.' You know the drill. She got depressed and left. Oh, and elves sleep with their eyes open. And Imladris = Rivendell.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
'Shades of Dreams'  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"'Tis a cold night, Brother. Will you not share my blankets?" Elrohir finally grew impatient with his twin's anxious pacing, and sat up.  
  
Elladan spun towards him, remembering just in time to keep his voice down: "No, Brother. I will not rest this night. Someone needs to keep watch!"  
  
Elrohir sighed in annoyance. "We are safe here, Elladan." He got to his feet and walked over to his twin, wrapping his blanket around the other gently. He slid his arms around his brother's waist, resting his cheek against his back. "You are my brother, and I love you. But, in all honesty, you are the most exasperating Elf in Middle Earth."  
  
Elladan stiffened in anger.  
  
"Elladan," the smaller twin said reproachfully. "Do not be angry, please. I watch you, I see you staying awake all night, guarding me. This fierce pace is starting to tell on you, Brother. If only you could see yourself: your cheeks are hollow, and your eyes dead in exhaustion. Please, Brother. Sleep tonight. I will keep watch."  
  
Elladan turned and pulled his twin to his chest, resting his cheek on the soft, dark hair. Elrohir pulled back after a minute, and tugged the elf to the pile of blankets, pushing and prodding gently. Finally giving in, Elladan laid himself down, curled in Elrohir's blanket. As the smaller twin covered him in the spare blanket, Elrohir smiled as his brother's eyes slipped vacant and he fell asleep. He leaned over and kissed his forehead, gently moving a lock of dark hair behind his ear.  
  
Quietly, Elrohir slipped to the front of their cave, sitting back on the wall, and looking keenly out into the night, kept watch.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
A time later, Elrohir heard the sound of crying behind him. Alarmed, he sprang up, and quickly made his way over to his brother. Elrohir knelt beside him, and placed a gentle hand on his forehead.   
  
"Elladan," he said, softly so as not to alarm his twin. "Elladan. Wake up, Brother."  
The taller twin came awake with a start, just barely stifling a yell at the figure looming over him. Elrohir quickly sat back, looking curiously at him. "What were you dreaming of, Elladan? You were crying."  
  
Elladan sat up, saying abruptly: "Nothing."  
  
The other gave him a Look.  
  
Glancing up, he relented. "Mother."  
  
Elrohir's face softened, and he went to sit behind his twin, pulling him back to lean against his chest. Elladan sighed and relaxed into the warmth of his brother.  
  
He started to shake, and Elrohir realized that he was crying silently; he wrapped his arms tight around the other, murmuring faint words of comfort.  
"Oh, Valar, I miss her..." he whispered through his tears. "Why did she leave us, Elrohir? Were we not kind enough to her? Did we drive her away?"  
  
"No, Elladan!" Elrohir said urgently. "Do not even think that! She just could not... I do not know why she left us, but if I may hazard a guess?" He paused for a moment. "I believe that she could no longer look at anything, even fair Imladris, without remembering. In her sight, the orcs had turned everything beautiful to us foul. She could bear it no longer."  
  
Elrohir's twin looked up at him, slightly calmer. "Do you truly believe that?"  
  
He sighed. "I have to."  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, Elrohir rocking gently. Elladan felt himself beginning to drift off, and asked of his brother: "Will you sing me to sleep? Like our mother did when we were young?"  
  
Elrohir nodded, and thought for a moment. A memory struck him gently, and he remembered a light voice, like the tinkling of bells, singing him to a restful sleep. He sang the lullaby his mother once sang him, about the beauty of forests and valleys, the quick light *shhhhh* of a mountain stream. It was a lullaby of the splendor of Elves, the wonder of life.  
  
Elladan slept, dreaming not of orcs and blood and the tortured wails of his mother, but of singing Elves, trees, and laughing children.  
  
Elrohir stayed awake, singing softly of the times of old, keeping watch over his brother, protecting him from the shades of dreams.  
  
~fin~  
  
a/n: well? good/bad/terrible? let me know! 


End file.
